Mr Holyoake Attacks Committee On Vietnam
(New Zealand Press Association)
WELLINGTON, November 8.
“The so-called, self-appointed Committee on Vietnam is striking at the very structure of New Zealand society,” the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) told a National Party women’s rally in Wellington today.
Mr Holyoake said he deplored the efforts of anti-Vietnam war organisations which, he said, were trying to organise some of the youth of the country into noisy and destructive groups.
“But I thank God that the great body of our young people are sounder and more able than ever before, and that most of them know of the value of service to the community and loyalty to principles,” he said.
“The croakers are having a field day. The so-called, selfappointed Committee on Vietnam is striking at the very structure of our society, loyalty to our principles, loyalty to our given word, loyalty to our signatures to those defence treaties which mean, if and when we are in trouble, people much stronger than us will come to our aid.” “Some people say we should abandon these old loyalties and the whole principle of loyalty,” Mr Holyoake said. “But when the people of South Vietnam are subject to the cruellest persecution and bloody murder that the world has ever seen, how can we
sign a treaty saying we would help them if they help us, and then tell them we did not mean it?”
He was certain the people of New Zealand did not support this policy. “I deplore that some of these organisations are trying to marshal the youth of
our country in this kind of approach," he said. “This hits at the fundamental fabric of life—lack of loyalty.” One point the anti-Vietnam war protesters forgot was that every New Zealand soldier in Vietnam was a volunteer. “These young men are keen to go," he said. “There is no conscription, and I thank God there are enough young men and women who are prepared to demonstrate that we still hold these fundamental loyalties in the things in which we believe.'
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31522, 9 November 1967, Page 1
Word Count
342Mr Holyoake Attacks Committee On Vietnam Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31522, 9 November 1967, Page 1
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